Home blood pressure for the management of hypertension: will it become the new standard of practice?

Abstract

Accurate identification of hypertension is crucial for the prevention of cardiovascular disease. Home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) provides superior prediction of cardiovascular disease, compared with clinic pressures. HBPM can be a valuable resource for the effective treatment of hypertension, when combined with other modalities used to improve patient education, lifestyle enhancement, adherence to medication and reduction of unnecessary clinic visits. In some developed nations, more than half of households with a hypertensive patient have a device for HBPM. The use of HBPM by patients and the acceptance of HBPM measurements by providers is increasing. The long-term effectiveness of HBPM, combined with telemetry for disease prevention, is promising. More research is still needed to establish its full value. It is predicted that HBPM has definite potential for more effective strategies to control hypertension and reduce the need for on-site clinical care.

Keywords::

• ambulatory blood pressure
• antihypertensive therapy
• cardiovascular risk
• cost–effectiveness
• home blood pressure
• self-management
• telemedicine
• telemetry

Financial & competing interests disclosure

The author has no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.